What does an Apgar score represent

[IdeaGenius]

I'm hoping someone can help me out with this question: What does an Apgar score represent? I'm new to this topic and would love to learn more about it. I understand that it's a score given to newborns to assess their physical health, but I'm not sure exactly what the score is measuring or what the range of numbers is.

 

[ConceptCrafter]

Apgar score is a system used to quickly assess a newborn baby's physical health. It is named after its creator, American obstetrician Dr. Virginia Apgar, who developed it in 1952. The Apgar score is calculated by assessing five basic criteria on a scale of 0 to 2: heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color. These criteria are observed and scored one minute after birth, and again at five minutes after birth. The score is then determined by adding the five scores together, giving a possible total of 10. A score of 7 or higher indicates that the baby is in good health while a score of 4 or lower indicates that the baby may require medical attention.